Norovirus on Cruise Ships ... The Facts

Listening to the media lately have you thinking of canceling your upcoming cruise? Before you do, let’s talk about the facts!

With cruise ship outbreaks appearing in the news more and more often, awareness of Norovirus -- an extremely common and highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis -- has been significantly raised. First, what exactly is Norovirus? Well, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) it is a group of viruses that can affect the stomach and intestines. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps; children often vomit more than adults. A low-grade fever and headache are also possible.

The Norovirus is not a virus that only appears on cruise ships. It has however been associated with cruise travel because health officials are required to track illnesses on ships (and are not required to do so at hotels and resorts); therefore, outbreaks are found and reported more quickly at sea than on land (the CDC requires cruise lines to immediately file a report when more than 2 percent of passengers report symptoms). Nowhere else in the public health system of the United States is Norovirus a reportable illness. Norovirus is not a 'cruise ship' illness, but an illness commonly seen in many settings throughout the United States. Yes, you can find Norovirus in hotels, resorts, schools, nursing homes, airplanes, just about anywhere.

Norovirus can be passed along by contaminated food and water, however, when it comes to Norovirus on cruise ships, it is usually spread through physical contact with sick people or surfaces and objects they may have touched. This includes shaking hands, touching stair rails, sharing food or eating from the same utensils, and not washing hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers.

Once you have been exposed to Norovirus, it takes anywhere from one to three days for its symptoms to appear, and symptoms typically last only 24 to 48 hours. However, it is important but keep up the good hygiene as people may be contagious for as long as two weeks after recovery.

To prevent getting the virus, wash your hands often with hot water and anti-bacterial soap. You should wash your hands before and after every meal, after using the restroom, and after any personal contact or contact with items. Carry alcohol based sanitizer with you to use in between hand washings. Also, when drinking water, drink bottled water. Avoid undercooked food, and do not share your glasses and utensils with anyone.

When a cruise ship does have cases of Norovirus, crewmembers clean even more thoroughly than usual and use stronger cleaning agents. Beyond that, crewmembers distribute information to passengers onboard offering precautionary tips, as well as a notification at embarkation to travelers boarding a ship that had previously seen a high percentage of illness. You may also find other precautionary things such as buffet service switching from help yourself to manned stations. While you may have to wait a bit longer for your food, be patient. The crew is doing what they need to do to protect the passengers. Waiting an extra couple of minutes is certainly worth not contracting the virus.

If you are ill prior to your cruise, you really should not set sail. Sick passengers boarding a cruise ship is how most illnesses are spread. Although you don’t want to miss your vacation, traveling sick can result in spreading the illness to hundreds of passengers and crew, and can easily result in you being quarantined to your stateroom for the trip, which is not fun at all. For unexpected illnesses, this is where travel insurance comes in to play. It is always a good idea to protect your vacation investment with travel insurance. That’s another story in itself!

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